CAMPAIGN
Poll: GOP candidates even match for Obama
A Gallup survey released Monday showed that all four of the leading Republican presidential candidates poll about the same in a hypothetical race against President Obama. When registered voters were asked to choose between Mr. Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, all four Republicans finished in a statistical tie with the Democratic president. Mr. Romney did the best, defeating Mr. Obama by 48 percent to 46 percent, with Mr. Perry in a 47-47 tie. But Mr. Paul and Mrs. Bachmann — both widely dismissed by political analysts as too extreme or polarizing — did almost as well. Mr. Obama was favored by 47 percent to 45 percent over Mr. Paul, and 48-44 over Mrs. Bachmann.
“Even though the four Republican candidates tested have varying degrees of name recognition, they all fare roughly the same,” Gallup noted. Mrs. Bachmann won the Ames straw poll earlier this month and Mr. Paul finished second. Mr. Romney and Mr. Perry consistently finish in the top two in national surveys.
The poll of 879 registered voters was taken Aug. 17 and 18 and has an error margin of 4 percentage points.
WHITE HOUSE
Obama to give Labor Day speech in Motor City
President Obama will travel to Detroit on Sept. 5 to speak at the city’s annual Labor Day festivities.
The White House says Mr. Obama will speak at a Labor Day event sponsored by the Metro Detroit Central Labor Council.
It will be Mr. Obama’s second trip to Michigan in a month. Mr. Obama visited a battery plant in Holland, Mich., on Aug. 11.
Mr. Obama has touted his administration’s work to rescue General Motors and Chrysler, which are both headquartered in the Detroit area.
MASSACHUSETTS
Obama meets economic aide, talks with CEOs
VINEYARD HAVEN | A vacationing President Obama has been meeting with a key economic aide and phoning top investors as he prepares for next month’s unveiling of a new jobs and debt plan.
The White House says Mr. Obama met with Brian Deese, deputy chief of his National Economic Council, in Martha’s Vineyard on Monday morning. In addition, Mr. Obama placed phone calls to investor Warren Buffett and to Ford CEO Alan Mulally.
A spokesman says Mr. Obama talked to Mr. Buffett and Mr. Mulally about possible measures to spur investment and increase growth, as well as ways of reducing America’s long-term debt.
Deputy press secretary Josh Earnest announced that Mr. Obama will fly to Detroit on Labor Day to meet with working men and women and speak to the city’s labor council.
ARIZONA
State senator weighs run against Giffords
TUCSON | A Republican Arizona state senator plans to announce Monday that he has formed an exploratory committee to examine a possible run next year for the congressional seat held by Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
Sen. Frank Antenori of Tucson made extensive public comments last week about the committee but plans to make his formal announcement Monday before a Republican women’s group in Tucson.
Mrs. Giffords is in her third term in Congress but has spent the past eight months recovering from a gunshot wound she suffered during a Jan. 8 meeting with voters.
She hasn’t indicated if she’ll seek re-election and also has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate.
Mr. Antenori says he won’t say whether he’s running until January or February after congressional districts are redrawn.
WISCONSIN
Republican Ryan says he won’t seek presidency
MADISON | U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan says he won’t run for president next year.
The Republican congressman from Wisconsin issued a statement Monday saying he appreciates supporters urging him to seek the 2012 nomination, but he hasn’t changed his mind about staying out of the race.
Mr. Ryan chairs the House Budget Committee and crafted a GOP budget plan this year aimed at slashing federal spending on programs such as Medicare.
The congressman from Janesville says he hopes the GOP will nominate a candidate committed to an agenda that “restores the promise and prosperity of our exceptional nation.”
He added that he’s grateful to his constituents for the chance to advance that effort in Congress.
From wire dispatches and staff reports
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